Seattle is No. 6 destination for Memorial Day travelers

Originally published May 25, 2017 at 1:15 pm

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A million more people on the move this weekend than in 2016.

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By The Seattle Times Automotive Staff

AAA projects that 39.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this Memorial Day weekend, a 2.7 percent increase from 2016. That is 1 million more travelers than last year taking to the roads, skies, rails and water, creating the highest Memorial Day travel volume since 2005.

While the vast majority of travelers are planning a Memorial Day road trip, many other Americans will take advantage of the long holiday weekend and travel long distance and internationally, with Europe especially popular this year. The top destinations for Memorial Day weekend, based on AAA travel bookings, are Orlando, Florida; Rome, Italy; London, England; Dublin, Ireland; Vancouver, B.C.; Seattle; Las Vegas Nevada; New York City; Paris, France; and Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Memorial Day holiday travel period is defined as May 25-29.

“The expected spike in Memorial Day travel mirrors the positive growth seen throughout the travel industry this year,” says Jennifer Cook of AAA Washington. “Higher confidence has led to more consumer spending, and many Americans are choosing to allocate their extra money on travel this Memorial Day.”